Culinary Center

The Cumberland Culinary Center is located off Tennessee Boulevard in Lebanon, adjacent to the TN College of Applied Technology. The 2,400-square-foot facility houses a commercial kitchen and storage space intended to serve area entrepreneurs and farmers.

General Information About the Program

The Cumberland Culinary Center will aid entrepreneurs in producing, promoting and packaging their products with a focus on locally grown and produced goods in conjunction with the Pick Tennessee Products initiative.

The Cumberland Culinary Center is supported by the educational programs offered by UT Knoxville, Food Science and Technology. Please click here for the next scheduled classes.

The course above was designed for Domestic Kitchen users; however, this class also meets the requirements for the CCC non-hazardous and formulated acid foods.

If your products are acidified (e.g. salsa, pickles, etc.) there is a requirement that companies have at least one representative trained in Better Process Control. This class is offered by UT Knoxville, typically in the fourth quarter of each year.

Membership & Services

Membership with the Cumberland Culinary Center is open to Tennessee-based farmers, specialty food producers and suppliers. In order to rent space in the commercial kitchen, farmers must supply proof of liability insurance and be listed on the Pick Tennessee Products (www.picktnproducts.org) website. Specialty food producers who want to use the kitchen rental services must provide documentation in the following areas: proof of liability insurance, sales tax certificate, and at least one person from the company must be certified in Food Safety training from an accredited agency such as the Tennessee Department of Agriculture or the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.

Farmers may use the kitchen rental services for the preparation of produce for market readiness.

Qualified Companies will be allowed to rent the kitchen facilities once their application has been approved for an hourly rate and will be supervised by the Cumberland Culinary Center Kitchen Manager. Companies need to handle their own procurement and bring raw materials to the Center.

Tennessee based companies which produce products at the Cumberland Culinary Center are also eligible to be part of the Pick Tennessee Program, a great way to promote your business. To access the application please follow this link.

Additional Services

Contract Warehousing
Initially, this service will be a limited offering for both raw materials and finished goods.

Infrastructure Support
The Center will provide the following for all users of the Center:

Scheduling utilization of the Center

Inventory control for finished goods

Facility (Center) liability insurance

Records management for all testing and product retention

Food and equipment safety training

Adherence to all Good Manufacturing Processes as identified by UT Knoxville, Food and Science Department

FDA requirements of 21CFR108.25(f), 113.10 and 114 and the TN Secretary of Agriculture requirements of 9CFR318.310 and 381.310

Important Information

In the event that a company cannot comply with the parameters of doing business with the Center, the Center shall have the right to refuse providing services.

*Product Readiness applies to Kitchen Rental:

Formularies which are defined as weighted recipes for product production

Tiger Blood was created by a group of friends in East Nashville who have a penchant for delicious drinks, brunch and good times. Using healthy and fresh ingredients we have created a delicious Bloody Mary that is easy to enjoy.

We are nestled in the Tennessee hills and are a family owned and operated since 2015. We are so excited to introduce our all natural lavender jams. Try them with your favorite meal from breakfast to dinner or pour it over ice cream and enjoy!

We add depth and complexity to old classics, so we can appeal to today's sophisticated palate. We feel we are giving life back to a diminished art. Only the freshest produce is used and NO artificial preservatives.

Let me introduce you to Nashville’s own local salsa, Ousley Ouch. It’s a tomato salsa with a thick, chunky texture that comes from hand diced onions and fresh jalapeño peppers that are grown on a Nashville farm and often added to the salsa within just hours after picking. In addition to the fresh onions and jalapeños, over a dozen herbs and spices are used to create the magical flavor that has family and friends saying, “Ouch! I can’t stop eating!”

Crafted in the rolling hills of Middle Tennessee, our sauces and rubs are the perfect enhancement to your grilled and smoked meats and vegetables. We mix every single product in small batches and use only the best ingredients. This allows us a balance of both quality and consistency that we hold as one of our core assets.

Smokey Cornwall’s BBQ Sauce – “It ain’t just a barbecue sauce!” (S.C.) – Original Sauce since 1978! Great sauce for home made pizzas, and it makes a great cocktail sauce for shrimp and oysters. Smokey's six-time award winning Voo Doo Chili wouldn't be without it! Spice up Saturday brunches’ Bloody Mary's with a shot or two of Smokey Cornwall's. It's also good on pork, beef, chicken, and fried turkey.
"See what you can come up with!" (S.C.)

Southern traditions: devotion to family and close friends, sitting on the front porch sipping iced tea, Sunday lunch with all of us gathered around the big dining room table, cooking together in the kitchen. That's our heritage, and that's who we are - Southern City Flavors. Our recipes come from years of cooking with close friends, both in formal competitions and informal gatherings in the kitchen where good friends always meet. It was friends that helped develop the products, and it is family, my daughters and I, that bring these products to you. We hope our products will help start your own traditions with family and friends, just as they have with us.

Tennessee Gourmet specialty food products are all natural and unique in the marketplace. We offer a variety of sauces, pepper jellies, salad dressings, and dry rubs. Additional gourmet products have been selected for their uniqueness and high quality: popcorn, salsas, farmstead cheeses, meats and sweet treats. All of which can be made available in gift baskets and gift boxes. Free recipes and newsletters are available to keep you informed and help you create tasty solutions.

Recommended Suppliers

Cumberland Culinary Center works with many suppliers in our industry to assist you in sourcing raw materials. These companies provide excellent service and are considered leaders in their fields. They are valuable support members of the Center. This list will continue to evolve over time so please check back for more information.

GlobalPark

"Leader of Shrink Wrap Products for the Packing Industry"

We've been in business for over 20 years and have worked with the same supplier. As a result, we continue to provide High Quality PVC Heat Shrink Products. Our product line includes: preforms, neckbands, combo bands, shrink bags , and 360 degree printed full and partial heat shrink sleeves / labels.

“Good Things come in Richards Packaging”

We are a manufacturer, importer and distributor serving the North American packaging industry. We offer an extensive section of glass and plastic containers to the Gourmet Food, Candle and Person Care Industries. Our reputation is built on excellent customer service and the quality of our products. At Richards Packaging our resources are valuable, and these resources are people. Our Customer Service Representatives are professionally trained to help you place your orders and assist you with any help you may need.

"Measure us by the Quality of our Product."

Since 1961, the Doug Jeffords Company has provided Nashville and the southeastern United States with seasonings, spices, and custom blends of unparalleled quality. DJC continues to be family owned and operated, supporting Tennessee jobs and the local community. And while we do use many locally, domestically grown products, DJC also travels the world to procure the finest exotic spices and herbs available.